William Adolph Soderman

What happens when a lone American soldier armed with a bazooka stands against an advancing column of German tanks? During the Battle of the Bulge, Private First Class William Adolph Soderman answered that question with extraordinary courage, disabling three enemy tanks and helping save his fellow soldiers during one of World War II's fiercest battles. His remarkable defense of Rocherath, Belgium, earned him the Medal of Honor, the United States military's highest decoration for valor.

Born on March 20, 1912, in West Haven, Connecticut, William A. Soderman enlisted in the United States Army in August 1943. Serving with Company K, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, he entered the European theater as Allied forces fought to defeat Nazi Germany. On December 17, 1944, he found himself defending a strategically vital road junction near Rocherath during Germany's massive Ardennes counteroffensive.

As German artillery battered American positions, Soderman's bazooka assistant was wounded and forced to withdraw. Now alone, Soderman waited in the gathering darkness as five German Panther tanks approached. Rather than retreat, he allowed the armored vehicles to close within point-blank range before rising into enemy fire and launching a rocket that set the leading tank ablaze. The remaining tanks advanced past him, but Soderman refused to abandon his position.

His ordeal was far from over.

Throughout the freezing night, he endured relentless artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire. Shortly after dawn, another five enemy tanks appeared. Running along a ditch, Soderman sprang into the open road, aimed his bazooka directly at the advancing armor, and disabled the lead tank. With their route blocked, the remaining vehicles withdrew. Returning to his position, he confronted a German infantry platoon at close range, killing at least three enemy soldiers and wounding several more.

When Company K was ordered to withdraw under overwhelming pressure, Soderman reached a comparatively safe assembly area. Then he heard German tanks approaching again. Knowing that some of his comrades had not yet escaped, he made an extraordinary decision: he returned toward the enemy to protect them.

With his final bazooka rocket, Soderman disabled another leading tank, bringing his total to three. Moments later, enemy machine-gun bullets tore through his right shoulder. Seriously wounded and without ammunition, he dragged himself along a ditch until he reached American lines and was evacuated.

His actions helped prevent German armor from overrunning vulnerable American troops during the desperate defense of Rocherath. His official Medal of Honor citation praised his "unfaltering courage against overwhelming odds." President Harry S. Truman personally presented him with the Medal of Honor at the White House on October 12, 1945. The award was recorded in War Department General Orders No. 97, dated November 1, 1945.

Soderman also received the Purple Heart for his combat wounds. His recorded wartime honours include the American Campaign Medal, the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a bronze service star for campaign participation, and the World War II Victory Medal, reflecting his service during the Allied struggle for victory.

After the war, Soderman returned to West Haven, raised a family, and devoted much of his civilian career to helping fellow veterans through his work at a Veterans Affairs hospital. He died on October 20, 1980, aged 68, and was laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery in his hometown. His legacy continued at sea when the United States Navy named a military transport ship, USNS Soderman, in his honor.

William A. Soderman's story is more than an account of three disabled tanks. It is the story of a soldier who repeatedly chose danger over safety because other lives depended upon him. In the frozen battlefields of Belgium, his determination demonstrated that extraordinary heroism does not require extraordinary weapons, only the courage to stand firm when retreat seems the only choice.